Preparing to Receive holy communion
By Fr. Tom AvramisLight & Life Publishing Co. 1986
(Written with the approval of Bishop Anthony of San Francisco)
- Introduction
- The Eucharist: What is it?
- Fasting
- Confession
- Frequency of Participation
- Prayers Before Holy Communion
- Prayers After Holy Communion
Introduction
To the Orthodox mind, to limit spiritual renewal to the exercise of one
or two disciplines is to take a narrow view of what renewal is ultimately
about—a deeper relationship with God. A holistic approach is necessary,
one that encompasses the entire person, body and soul, into this endeavor
to come closer to God. It is not enough to just believe in Christ. What
was important to early Christians was to believe in Jesus Christ in the
correct way. They knew that “the demons also believe” (James
2:19). Jesus Christ is God. Not “a god,” not “created”
by God, not an “idea,” but God Himself in the flesh. In 325
AD, the Council in Nicea dealt with this issue. The council overwhelmingly
denounced those who would see Jesus Christ as anything other than God. Upon
asking God what to tell the people if they asked who sent him, God told
Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. (Exodus 3:14) This title became sacred to the
Jews. In John 8:58, Jesus uses the same title! He calls Himself “I
AM.”
The
Eucharist: What is it?
During the Divine Liturgy we pray and ask God to change what the bread and
wine are by nature, into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. So great is
this mystery that we are left without any possible response which would
express what God has done. Therefore we offer the only answer we can: Thank
you! The Bible tells us, in Matthew 26:26-28, that Jesus, at the Last Supper,
took bread, blessed it, distributed it, and then said, “Take eat;
this is My Body.” Our Lord went on to the Cup saying, “Drink
from it, all of you; for this is My Blood…” This is not mere
symbolism even though Jesus equates Himself with other things (Door in John
10:9; Vine in John 10:14, and so on). Only in the Eucharist do we see a
material element as being referred to as something other than it appears
to be. Prior to the blessing and the giving of thanks the elements were
ordinary bread and wine. It was only after Jesus consecrated them that the
two elements became in reality the body and blood of our Lord. To this day,
at every Divine Liturgy, the wine and bread are not considered to be the
Body and Blood of Jesus Christ until the blessing and thanksgiving have
been completed. Jesus tells that He is the bread (manna) from Heaven (John
6:35, 38). He also said to eat of this “new bread” meant never
seeing death (vv.49-50). He says “…unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” (v.53)
And, as if to settle completely the issue, Jesus adds, “for my flesh
is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed” (v.55). Those who heard
these words understood completely what Jesus meant. “Many of his disciples,
when they heard it said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can listen to
it?’” Furthermore, so much did this teaching shock the hearers
that we are told that from that time many of Jesus’ disciples no longer
followed Him (v.66). The fact of the matter is that to this day there are
still many who find this a difficult teaching to comprehend and refuse to
accept it. Is our criterion for acceptance of Jesus’ teaching based
on our ability to comprehend what He tells us or on our faith in His authority
as God? In this age of rationalism it is not popular to exhibit a belief
in anything that cannot be comprehended by the mind. What so many Christians
have forgotten is that our criterion for believing anything as true followers
of Christ is the authority of our Lord—not our capability to comprehend
what He has done or said. In fact, St. Paul refers to the Eucharist as the
Body and Blood of Christ and goes so far to suggest that an improper understanding
of the Eucharist can harm our health and could even lead to death (1Corinthians
11:27-30). Therefore, if receiving the Eucharist is receiving Jesus, we
must take care to approach the Eucharist in proper fashion. And, as St.
Paul reminds us (1Co. 11:27-30), a proper approach is necessary in receiving
the Eucharist. The way we approach this awesome mystery determines whether
our participation will be a blessing in our lives, or whether we are condemning
ourselves.
Fasting
Fasting is a spiritual discipline intended to enhance our participation
in the Eucharist. It is not to be seen as an excuse to keep away from the
Chalice. Fasting is not a discipline restricted only to food. “Why
have we fasted, and you do not see it? Why have we humbled ourselves and
you take no knowledge of it? Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your
own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel
and to fight and to hit with wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will
not make your voice to be heard on high.” (Isaiah 58:3-4) Fasting
is more than simply not eating. It is also not lying, stealing, cheating,
committing adultery, and on and on. To think that by only setting a few
days aside to omit certain foods from our diet makes us worthy to receive
the Eucharist is to be spiritually naïve. The practice of fasting on
Wednesday and Friday has never been purposefully linked to the Eucharist.
Orthodox are required to fast on those two days of the week regardless if
they are going to participate in the Eucharist or not. The 69th Canon of
the Holy Apostles clearly reveals that the routine of Wednesday and Friday
fasting is obligatory upon all in the Church, except of course, in the case
of physical illness. This same Canon requires that fasting be maintained
throughout Great Lent also. No mention is made of the Eucharist. In other
words, regular fasting must be a regular way of life. Many Orthodox, who
restrict their view of fasting to the bstention of foods, got to the point
of extending this Wednesday and Friday fast to Saturday. They reason that
if they fast on Wednesday and Friday in preparation for the Eucharist on
Sunday, it does not seem right not to fast on the day prior to receiving.
However, in doing so, they violate the 64th Canon of the Holy Apostles which
specifically forbids ever fasting on Saturday, the day God rested after
creation. Exceptions to this Canon are Holy Saturday and a few other major
feast days, should they fall on a Saturday. Much of the confusion concerning
fasting and the Eucharist is caused by a basic misunderstanding in the two
types of fasting in the Church. We find the Eucharistic Fast and fasting
not directly linked to the Eucharist. Both are necessary along with a morally
upright life in the spiritual life of the Orthodox person. In The Orthodox
Church, Orthodox theologian Timothy (Kallistos) Ware states (p.294): “Orthodoxy
insists on a strict fast before communion and nothing can be eaten or drunk
after waking in the morning.” If therefore, you keep the Eucharistic
Fast, and there exists no moral reason for you to stay away from the Chalice,
you become obligated to come forward and received Christ as He is offered
at the Liturgy. To assert that one has not fasted on the previous Wednesday
and Friday and therefore cannot come forward for Communion is, by itself,
an insufficient cause to abstain from the Eucharist. So strongly did the
early church feel about this that we find in the 9th Apostolic Canon of
the Holy Apostles the following: “All those faithful who enter and
listen to the Scriptures, but do not stay for prayer and Holy Communion
must be excommunicated, on the grounds that they are causing the Church
a breach of order.” It is in fact that the early Orthodox attended
liturgy for only one reason: The Eucharist. The liturgy contains a host
of worthy elements aside from the Eucharist, such as the petitions, Creed,
Lord’s Prayer, etc. But all these elements are but a means to an end,
the end being the Eucharist. Your priest is your spiritual father. He is
responsible for your spiritual walk in Christ. The burden of your spiritual
welfare is on his shoulders. He is there to guide you into a greater awareness
of Jesus Christ. There are situations where your priest may require you
to fast, from food or otherwise, beyond the usual Eucharistic Fast. If he
does this, he is entirely within his right to do so. If your priest believes
that because of a certain sin in your life additional spiritual preparation
is in order, listen to him. This is for your own good. A word of caution!
If your priest has you observing a discipline beyond the Eucharistic Fast,
this was meant for you and only you. It would be improper to tell others
that they also are obligated to follow whatever routine your priest has
given you. Even if your priest has not advised you to fast beyond the Eucharistic
Fast, but you yourself wish to do so, this is your business. Once you follow
a certain regimen that goes beyond the Eucharistic Fast, whether that regimen
is dietary fasting or moral fasting, and they proceed to compare yourself
to others, you have then completely lost any benefit which could have been
possible. St. John Cassian writes: “We must not avoid communion because
we deem ourselves to be sinful. We must approach it more often for the healing
of the soul…but with much humility and faith…considering ourselves
unworthy. Otherwise, it is impossible to receive communion once a year,
as certain people do…such people manifest more pride than humility…for
when they received, they think of themselves as worthy.” Once fasting
becomes our impediment to a fuller spiritual life, we have then perverted
it. Fasting was never intended to be a barrier to keep us from Christ but
a bridge to lead us to fuller participation in the life of Christ.
Confession
Every indication seems to suggest that the Orthodox Christian know the following:
that Confession is a Sacrament; that it is necessary; that he or she should
go regularly. What is also evident is that, with the above points in mind,
the average Orthodox Christian is not a regular participant in the Mystery
of Confession. There are two views of Confession and the Eucharist. The
first sees confession as necessary before each participation in the Eucharist.
The second sees Confession as a periodic practice not required before every
participation in the Eucharist. The result of viewing Confession as a prerequisite
to every participation in the Eucharist is that it does not enhance one’s
spiritual life but hinders it. It hinders it because Confession becomes
an excuse not to take Holy Communion; much like fasting becomes an excuse
to stay away from the Chalice. Confession itself, of course, is not a hindrance,
but people make it a hindrance. The Church however, does not require a Confession
from her people every time they wish to partake of the Eucharist. This teaching
is not in the mainstream of the tradition of the Church. What is in the
tradition of the Church though, is the teaching that the priest is entrusted
with using his discretion with his people. This means that in certain cases
the priest may require Confession from persons who received the Eucharist
only periodically. If you resolve to be a regular participant in the Eucharist,
as every Orthodox should be, you should plan on periodic Confession. Periodic
is a term that should be defined by your priest in consultation with you.
Usually it means anywhere from once a month to once every six months. The
Sacrament of Confession exists to enhance our approach to the Eucharist,
not to impede it. As in the case of Fasting, once a sacrament (in this instance
Confession) keeps us away from the Eucharist, we have perverted its meaning
in our lives.
Frequency
of Participation
The Divine Liturgy is centered around the partaking of the Eucharist. This
is the main purpose of the Liturgy. The 9th Apostolic Canon says, “All
the faithful who enter and listen to the scriptures, but do not stay for
prayer and Holy Communion must be excommunicated on the grounds that they
are causing the Church a breach of order.” How often do you sin? If
you are honest with yourself as a Christian, you will acknowledge that you
sin constantly. Sin is a part of your life. For the Christian, if sin is
a part of our life, so too, must forgiveness be a part of our life. Constant
sin requires constant orgiveness. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1John 1:8) The Eucharist,
approached in the correct manner, takes away our sin and gives us the strength
to draw closer to our God. What is the correct manner? The answer is found
in the Liturgy itself when the priest presents the Chalice and intones:
“With the fear of God, with faith and with love, draw near!”
If you do not have a valid reason for not partaking, you are obligated to
receive the Eucharist. The problem with many Orthodox today is that they
have reversed the concept. Today, many feel as if they cannot participate
unless they have a good enough reason. This is contrary to what the Church
teaches. You must participate unless you have a valid reason not to. To
live a spiritual life of infrequent participation in the Eucharist means
spiritual sickness. Are you spiritually sick? If you are, the Eucharist
can help you (along with prayer, fasting, and confession). Maybe you fail
to be regular in your partaking of the Eucharist because you feel unworthy.
In this case, the question may be asked; when will you be worthy? Of course,
if you wait until you are worthy, forget it, you will never be able to approach
the Chalice. One of the reasons we must constantly go forward is precisely
because we are unworthy. Are you aware that there does exist someone who
stands to gain by your staying away from the Chalice? That person is the
devil. The longer you stay away from the Eucharist, the stronger the devil’s
influence in your life. Do you want to destroy the devil? Then receive Jesus
Christ! The more you consume Him, the more He will consume you. Consume
Jesus Christ before the devil consumes you.
Prayers
Before Holy Communion
I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the
living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.
I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that this is truly
Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me, and forgive
my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and
unknown. And make me worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure
Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and for life eternal. Amen.
How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If
I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since
it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I shall be cast out by
the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse my soul and save me.
Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to
my condemnation because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification
of soul and body and the pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good
for me to cling to God and to place in Him the hope of my salvation. Receive
me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not
reveal Your mystery to Your adversaries. Nor will I give You a kiss as did
Judas. But as the thief I confess to You: Lord, remember me in Your kingdom.
Prayers
After Holy Communion
Glory to you, our Lord, glory to you. Glory to you, our Lord, glory to you.
Glory to you, our Lord, glory to you.
Anonymous
Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let Your sacred Body be unto me for eternal life
and Your precious Blood for forgiveness of sins. Let this Eucharist be unto
me for joy, health, and gladness. And in Your awesome Second Coming make
me, a sinner, worthy to stand at the right hand of Your glory; through the
intercessions of Your pure Mother and of all Your Saints. Amen.
Saint Basil
I thank You, Christ and Master our God, King of the ages and Creator of
all things, for all the good gifts You have given me, and especially for
the participation in Your pure and life-giving mysteries. I pray You, therefore,
good and loving Lord, keep me under Your protection and under the shadow
of Your wings. Grant that to my last breath I may, with a pure conscience,
partake worthily of Your gifts for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal
life. For You are the bread of life, the source of holiness, the giver of
all good things, and to You we give glory, with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Anonymous
I thank You, Lord my God, that You have not rejected me, a sinner, but have
made me worthy to partake of Your holy mysteries. I thank You that You have
permitted me, although I am unworthy, to receive Your pure and heavenly
gifts. O loving Master, who died and rose for our sake and granted to us
these awesome and life-giving mysteries for the well being and sanctification
of our souls and bodies, let these gifts be for healing of my own soul and
body, the averting of every evil, the illumination of the eyes of my heart,
the peace of my spiritual powers, a faith unashamed, a love unfeigned, the
fulfilling of wisdom, the observing of Your commandments, the receiving
of Your divine grace, and the inheritance of Your kingdom. Preserved by
them in Your holiness, may I always be mindful of Your grace and no longer
live for myself, but for You, our Master and Benefactor. May I pass from
this life in the hope of eternal life, and attain to the everlasting rest,
where the voices of Your Saints who feast are unceasing, and their joy,
beholding the ineffable beauty of Your countenance, is unending. For You,
Christ our God, are the true joy and gladness of those who love You, and
all creation praises You forever. Amen.
Saint John Chrysostomos
I thank You, loving Master, benefactor of my soul, that on this day You
have made me worthy once again of Your heavenly and immortal mysteries.
Direct my ways on the right path, establish me firmly in Your fear, guard
my life, and make my endeavors safe, through the prayers and supplications
of the glorious Theotokos and ever virgin Mary and of all Your Saints. Amen.